Automatic musical instrument or player.



H. R. EDGEGOMB, AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 0R PLAYER.

APPBIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1907 Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. attorney I. R. EDGECOMB. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTR UMEN T 0R PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1907.

Patented 58%, 22, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

:1 Hu 7 ll lllllllllliklig wi 11 eases UN tTATES PATENT HENRY R. EDGEUOMB, OF BRADDOCK TGWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OR PLAYER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. EDGECOMB, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Braddock township, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Musical instruments or Players, of which the following is a s ecification, reference being had therein to t 1e accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to' automatic musical instruments or players, and its primary object is to provide improved means for controlling the accent and tempo valves, the sustaining lever, and other elements of a mechanical player.

Another object of the invention is to prov'ide a novel controller box and means for supporting the same in its elevated or active position in front of the key-board of a piano or other musical instrument to which the playing attachment is applied. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel cover or casing for the actuating mechanism of a controller box.

A still further object of this invention-is to greatly simplify the construction of a "controller box and reduce the numberof parts required, and thereby reduce to a minimum the danger of the controller box getting out of order.

' A further object of theinvention is, to provide a player with regulating means so attached to a piano or like instrument as to permit the regulating attachment to he swung under the key-hoard when not required for use.

The invention comprises a plurality of levers connected to the valves of the player, and means for operatingsaid levers by the palms of the hand, and th fingers, of the performer.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter, in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and its features of novelty will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1. is a side elevation of my invention as applied to a piano, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the attachment, Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20, 1907.

Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

Serial No. 408,057.

of the same, Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the bearin s for the actuating levers, and

,Fig. 6 is an e evation of one of the bearings used in connection with the attachment.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a portion of a piano case 1, and the key board 2 on which the digitals or keys 3' are supported, these digitals or keys being normally protected by a cover 4. Beneath the key board 2 are arranged the actuating rods 5 of the instrument, these rods being provided with depending ends extending through the supports 6 of the key-board. The rods 5 are generally arranged centrally of the instrument, and thenumber of these rods depends entirely upon the type of the instrument. A rod is generally employed for operating the motor valve to vary the tempo, another rod is used for varying the strength of a stroke, another rod for accenting the specific notes, and still another rod for operating the sustaining pedal. These rods are simply selected as typical of a conventional type of automatic instrument, and in this connection I desire it to be understood that my invention is applicable to any controlling or regulating devices used on an automatic player. 1

front edge with twobearings 7 and 8, said bearings being arranged to support a mov able controller box or casing 9. The controller box 9 is oblong in form having its ends enlarged as at 10 and 1]. The enlarged end 11 of the box 9 is provided with trunnions 12 and 13, these trunnions fitting loosely in the bearings 7 and 8. The bearings 7 and 8 are arranged to permit of the controller box being laterally shifted. 1 accomplish this lateral movement of the controller box by mak ing'the trunnion 12 of greater length than the trunnion 13, whereby said trunnion 12 can be used similar to a push button for shifting the controller box. The lateral movement of the controller box is essential in order to lock the box either in an operative position or in an inoperative position, and to this end, I provide the controller box 9 adjacent to the trunnion 12 with a lock pin 14 adapted to engage in one of the recesses 15 of the bearing 8. To normally hold the pin 14 in one of only necessary to press inwardly upon the render diflicult the task of playing the instrutheir inner ends extending through aslot 24 gage .the depending ends of expression rods 5.

are revolublymounted sleeves 35 and 36 carrying the bell-crank levers 29 and 26 respecpalm actuating levers 38 and 39 extend up 'wardly and forwardly, from the controller recesses 17 formed in the bearing 7, and bearing against the controller box. It is therefore apparent that the controller box will be trunnion 12 swinging the controller box until the pin 14 registers with the proper recess, at which time the spring 17 will immediately move the box laterally, and throu h the me dium of the pin 14 and bearing 8 mly hold the controller box.

The controller box is made of such size that it Will 'occupy a comparatively small space in front of the key-board of a piano, when in an operative position, and will not detract from the appearance of the instrument to which it is applied, or in any manner interfere with or ment in the ordinary manner, when the controller box is in an inoperative position swung beneath the key board support 6.

In the trunnions 12 and 13 of the controller box I mount a shaft. 18, and upon this shaft Within the controller box are jour'naled a plurality of bell crank levers 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23, all of these bell crank levers having formed in the enlarged end 11 of the controller box, the protruding BlldS of said bell crank levers being shaped todetachably en- The opposite ends of the bell crank levers 19 to 23 inclusive are connected by rods 25 to bell crank levers 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30,-which are arranged in the outer enlarged end 10 of the controller'box.

In the. outer enlarged end 10 of the con-, troller box is formed a bearin 31 and in this bearing is mounted a shaft 32 laving its ends kprotruding from the sides of the controller Upon'the shaft 32 are mounted sleeves 3.3 and 34 carrying the bell crank levers 28 and 27 respectively. On the sleeves 33 and 34 tively, while upon the sleeve 35 is revolubly mounted a sleeve 37, carrying the bell crank lever 30. All of these sleeves protrude from the sides of. the controller box, and the sleeves 37 and 36 are provided with palm actuating levers 38 and 39 respectively, while the sleeve 34 carries a finger actuating lever 40; the sleeve 35, a finger actuating lever 41; and the sleeve 33, another finger actuating lever 42. These actuating levers and sleeves are held in osition by providin the shaft 32 with a head 43 at one end, an a washer 44 and cotter pin 45 at'the opposite end. The

box, whereby those possessed with the requisite skill for playin an instrument can I rest their palms upon t e actuating levers 38 and 39 and allow their fingers to engage the finger actuating levers 40, 41, and 42, which extend downwardly at an angle from the enlar ed end 10 of the'controller box.

from the novel construction of my attachment, it will be observed that the palm actuating lever 38 operates the bell crank lever 23, the finger actuating lever 42 actuates the bell crank lever 21, the finger actuating lever 41 operates the bell crank lever 22, the palm actuating lever 39 operates the bell crank lever 19, while the finger actuating lever 40 actuates the bell crank lever 20. In this manner five expression rods be easily operated,

the. novel arrangement of the actuating levers 38 to 42 inclusive permitting of an operators hand assuming a natural position upon the controller box, somewhat similar to the position the hands would assume if playing a piano in the ordinary manner.

It is thought that the manner of manipulating the controller box, to place the same in the active or inactive position will be fully underfact that when the controller box is not being, used and is supported beneath the key bed of the piano, the box is ractically concealed from View, so as not to etract from the ordinary appearance of the piano.

It is obvious that such variations of my invention as are necessary for its adaptability to various types of automatic piano players can be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. I

Having now described my invention what I claim'as new, is

1. The combination with a piano, and the expression rods thereof, of bearings carried by said piano, a casing trunnioned in said bearings and having a lateral'movement' between said bearings, a spring for normally holding said casing in engagement with one of said bearings for locking the same in a fixed position, a shaft mounted in the trunnions of i said casing, bell crank levers journaled upon said shaft, and engaging said expression rods,

stood, and I desire to call attentionto the a shaft mounted in said casing, a plurality of sleeves revolubly mounted upon said shaft, bell crank levers carried by said sleeves, rods connecting said bell crank levers with the first mentioned bell crank levers, and actuating levers carried by said sleeves at the sides of said casing, some of said actuating levers projecting in an opposite direction to the remainder of said levers.

2. The combination with a piano, and the expression rods thereof, of bearings carried by said piano, a casing trunnioned in said bearings, and having a lateral movement therebetween, a shaft mounted in the trunnioned end of said-casing, bell crank levers journaled upon said shaft and engaging said" comprising a movable trunnioned casing,

expressionrods, a shaft mounted in the opsleeves mounted upon said shaft, bell crank levers carried by said sleeves and com'iecting with the first mentioned bell crank levers. actuating levers carried by said sleeves, at the sides of said casin and means arranged bearings.

3. The combination with a piano and the expression rods thereof, of a movable easing arranged beneath said expresslon rods, a plurality of bell crank levers journaled in said casing for engaging said expression rods, a shaft fixed in said casing, a plurality of bell crank levers movably mounted upon said shaft and connecting with the first mentioned bell crank levers, actuating levers arranged at the sides of said casing for moving the last mentioned bell crank levers, and

-means locatedat one end of said casing for locking the same in a fixed position with relation to said pianos.

4. In combination with the expression rods of a piano, a movable casing, bell crank levers inovably mounted in said casing for engaging said expression rods, bell crank levers movably mounted in said casing and connecting with the 3 first mentioned bell crank levers, means arranged at the sides of said casing for actuating the last mentioned bell crank levers, and means carried by said lasing for locking the same in a fixed position with relation to said piano.

5. The combination of expression rods, movable bell crank levers for engaging said rods, bell crank levers for actuating the first mentioned bell crank levers, a movable casing for housing said bell crank levers, means arranged at the sides of said. casing for actuating said'bell crank levers, and means carried by said casing for retaining the same in a fixed'position with relation to said piano.

6; The combination with a piano, and the expression rods thereof, of bell crank levers for moving said rods, a movable casing for housing said bell crank levers, means supported by said casing for actuating said bell crank levers, and means carried by said casingfor fixing the same with relation to said. piano.

7. The combination of the expression rods of a piano, bell crank levers for moving said rods, a movable casing for housing said bell crank levers, and means supported by said casing for actuating said bell crank levers.

8. An attachment of the type described comprising a plurality of connected bell crank levers, levers for actuating said. bell crank levers, and a n'iovable rasing for housin gsaid bell. crank levers together with means for holding said casing in a fixed position.

9. An attachment of the type described palm and linger actuating levers arranged at. posite end of said casing, a plurality ofl said palm the sides of said casing, and a mechanism contained within said casing and operated by and finger actuating levers.

it). in attachment of the type described.

comprising a inova d0 trunnioned casing having upwardly extemling palm actuz'iting leat. the trunmoned end of said casing for lock mg the same in engagement with one of said ally-mounted controller box embodying a trunnioned casing capable of being shifted laterally of its bearings, means for locking said casing in either of two positions, and expr ission-rod actuating-means carried by said casing.

12. In an attachment for pianos, a pivotally-mounted controller-box embodying a casing capable of being shifted laterally of its bearings, means f or looking the box in either of two positions, and expression-rod actuating-levers carried by said casing.

in an attachment for pianos, a pivotally-mounted controller-box, embodyin a casing carrying upwardly-extending pa mactuated levers and depending linger-actuated levers.

14. The combination with a piano, and the expression rods thereof, of a controller-boxpivotally-mounted on the piano and movable on its pivots to operative-position in front of the piano key-board, and to inoperative position underneath the key-board, means within said box for engaging with said expression rods when the box is moved to operative position, and actuating levers carried by said box for operating said means.

15. T he combination with a piano, and the expression rods thereof, of a controller-box for said rods pivotally-mounted on the piano and movable to operative position in front of the piano key-board and inoperative position umlerneath the key-board, means arranged within said controller box for operative-eonnection with said expression rods in the operative position of the controller-box, and means outside the box for operating the first mentioned means, said means embodying upwarrlly-extending palm-actuated levers and depending tingenactuated levers.

1G. The combination with a piano, and the expression rods thereof, of a controller-box pivotally-mounted on the piano and movable to operative position in front of file piano key-board and to immerative position under i'ieaththe lwy-board, means arranged within expression rods thereof, of a controller-box finger actuated levers connected to said 10 pivotally-mounted on the piano and movable i means and projecting outside the box.

to operative osition in front of the piano In testimony whereof -I aflix my'sig nature key-board, an to inoperativeipbsition underin the presence of two witnesses;

' neath the key-board, means within said box HENRY R for engagement with said expression rods when the box-is in operative position, and a Witnesses: v plurality of upwardly extending palm-actu- MAX H. SROLOVITZ,

' ated levers and a plurality of depending r O. A. RENzIEHAUsEN. 

